Draft rigging



D. C. DAVIS DRAFT RIGGING Dec. 4, 1934.

Filed Sept. 9, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l D. C. DAVIS DRAFT RIGGING Dec. 4, 1934.

Filed Sept. 9, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2:74 ARQ N Patented Dec. 4, 1934 UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE DRAFT RIGGING- Application September 9, 1929, Serial No. 391,358

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to draft rigging and, more particularly, to a pocketed end sill or pilot beam-adapted to contain cushioning mechanism and an associated swivel butt coupler.

The principal object of the invention, generally considered, is to adapt a railway vehicle end sill or locomotive pilot beam for receiving cushioning mechanism operatively associated with a swivel butt coupler which is preferably of normal size. Another object of the invention is to provide a locomotive pilot beam adapted to contain friction cushioning mechanism and the stem of a connected swivel-butt coupler such as is generally used on railway cars, said beam being formed with a bell mouthed opening receiving said stem to permit the desired angling thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a metal end sill and coupler construction in which the end sill is formed with a pocketed portion receiving friction cushioning mechanism and a coupler has its stem extending into said pocketed portion and operatively connected to said cushioning mechanism, whereby both draft and buffing forces are cushioned;

A still further object of the invention is the application of a swivel butt coupler to a locomotive pilot beam, or a corresponding end sill on a railway vehicle, said beam or sill being pocketed and receiving friction cushioning mechanism, the coupler being connected to said mechanism in any desired manner as by, means of a yoke and follower .or by using a pivotally connected butt with fric- .an associated swivel butt coupler and some of the cushioning mechanism elements shown in plan.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary central vertical longitudinal sectional View of the mechanism shown in Figure 1, portions of the coupler and yokebeing illustrated inside elevation. I

Figure -3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view on the line 3--3 of Figure .1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figures sand 5 are views corresponding respectively to Figures 1 and 2 but showing a modification. 1

Referring to the drawings in detail, like parts being designated by like reference characters, and first considering the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, there is shown the end sill 1 of a railway vehicle, which, for purpose of illustration, is,in the present embodiment, a locomotive pilot beam. Said-sill or beam 1 has a pocket, receptacle, opening, or chamber 2 with the forward portion thereof defined by outwardly or forwardly flaring side walls 3 and preferably horizontal top and bottom walls 4 and 5 into which is received the stem 6 of a coupler 7, which, in thepresent embodiment, is one of the swivel butt type, such as generally used on railway cars, in that the .rearmost end thereof has horizontal web or flange portions 8 apertured at 9 for receiving pivotal means 10 for connection with a yoke 11 or other means,'whereby cushioning of the forces received by said coupler is effected. Although in the present embodiment the stem of the coupler illustrated corresponds with that shown in the Barrows Patent No. 1,431,717, of October .10, 1922, this application should not be limited to this showing.

In the present embodiment the pocket 2 is completed by having connected to the beam 1 a deck casting or the like 12 formed with a supplemental pocket portion 13 in which is received the yoke 11 and associated rear follower 14 which is preferably held .in position with respect to the yoke by being aperturedat 15 to receive a lug 16 on the yoke, which lug is desirably connected to said yoke as by means of a rivet 17.

The cushioning mechanism received in the pocket 2 and 13 in the present embodiment involves a wedge block 18 disposed rearwardly of the webs 8 on the coupler stem 6 and formed with concave surfaces 19 engaged by the correspondingly curved rear surfaces on the coupler-stem 6, as shown most clearly in Figures land 2, whereby swiveling of the coupler is permitted. The wedge or swivel block 18 is formed with rearwardly converging friction surfaces 20, the forward ends of which terminate at shouldered portions 21 engaging corresponding shouldered portions 22 at the inner ends of the flaring walls 3 on the pilot beam 1 to thereby limit forward motion of said wedge block. Associated with said wedge block 18 are friction blocks 23 formed with correspond- ,ingly inclined friction surfaces 24 engaging the friction surfaces 20 on the wedge block and pressed into frictional contact therewith by resilient means 25 which, in the present embodiment, take the form of curved plate springs. The

and 5 front face of the rear follower 14, whereby they are moved forwardly upon the application of draft forces, said follower being limited in its rearward movement by engagement with shouldered portions 26 on the deck casting, the pocket 13 being extended rearwardly, of said shoulders 26 to permit rearward movement of the yoke 11 along with the coupler under the application of buffing forces, the preferably tapered lug 16 being at that time withdrawn from the follower 14,

as will be understood.

The walls 4 and 5 have to be normally spaced a distance sufficient to receive the coupler stem and its associated yoke and pm, as shown most clearly in Figure 2, an aperture'2'7 being desirably provided above said pin to permit insertion and removal and another aperture 28 being provided below said pin to permit a wire or other tool being inserted to push the pin upwardly for the withdrawal thereof. A striking block 29 and coupler carrier block member 30,preferably curved or annular about the normal position of the pivotal means, are desirably disposed at the front end of the bell mouthed opening to the pocket 2 and connected to the pilot beam by bolts or the like 31, whereby the stem of the coupler is properly supported and guided while being permitted to have the desired swiveling movement. In order to hold the blocks 29 and 30 in the desired spaced relation, the same are preferably formed with extensions 32 and 33, meeting as shown most clearly in Figure 2, whereby the block 30 serves to support the block 29 from the bottom wall 5 of the pilot beam.

From the foregoing disclosure, it will be seen that the coupler '7 is securely connected to the pilot beam and cushioned for movement in both directions while at the same time provision is made for the desired amount of horizontal angling. On account of the depth of the pocket in the pilot beam and associated casting, a swivel butt coupler stem of standard freight car size may be employed. Under the action of buffing forces, the yoke is moved inwardly into the rearmost extension of the pocket 13 while the swivel block or wedge 18 is pushed inwardly by engagement with the swivel flanges 8 on the coupler stem and in turn it forces the wedge blocks 23 outwardly against the resistance of the springs 25, friction being developed at the engaging surfaces of the wedge block and friction blocks and rear follower. Under the action of draft forces, the yoke is pulled forwardly and in turn moves the follower 14. forwardly and the friction blocks 23 forwardly and outwardly along the friction surfaces 20 against the resistance of the springs 25, friction being developed where the blocks engage the springs as well as at the engaging friction surfaces 20 and 24.

Referring now to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, an end sill or beam 1 is shown as in the previous embodiment, said beam, however, being wider and enclosing cushioning mechanism involving a wedge block 18*, friction blocks 23 and curved plate springs 25 without the necessity of a supplemental or deck casting. As in the previous embodiment, the coupler '7 has a stem 6 received in a bell mouthed opening to acushioning mechanism pocket 2 formed by diverging side wallportionsfi and horizontal top and bottom walls 4 The foremost endof the opening, as in the previous embodiment, is preferably provided with striking and carrier blocks 29 and 30 held by bolts as in the previous embodiment. The upper wall 4 of the pocket 2' is likewise provided with an opening 27 for the insertion of the pivot pin 10 which connects the coupler stem and more partcularly the flanges or webs 8 thereof with the wedge or swivel block 18*.

In the present embodiment, the yoke is dispensed with and the coupler '7 is connected to the cushioning mechanism by having the swivel or wedge block 18 formed with oppositely diverging friction surfaces, that is, the upper portion of said wedge block, or that on one side of the horizontal medial plane, may have its friction surfaces 20 diverging forwardly while the lower portion, or that on the other side of the horizontal median plane, has friction surfaces 20 diverging rearwardly. The friction blocks 23 of course, have correspondingly formed friction surfaces 24 and 24 the former of said surfaces being operative under the influence of bufling forces while the latter are operative under the influence of draft forces. The pocket 2 is, of course, extended rearwardly of the nor mal position of the block 18 to permit the desired movement on bufiing while the beam 1= has inwardly extending shoulderedportions 22 connected thereto in any desired manner as by means of bolts 34 or the like, forming continuations of the wall portions 3*, and disposed for wardly of the normal position of the shoulder portions 21 on the block 18 to permit the desired forward movement on draft while serving to limit said movement.

The action of the mechanism in the present embodiment is similar to that of the first embodiment, except that under the action of bufiing forces the friction surfaces 20 and 24 are employed and the friction blocks 23 move outwardly against the pressure of the springs 25, while under the action of draft forces the friction surfaces 20 and 24* come into play with a corresponding movement of the friction blocks 23 upon outward movement of the coupler.

From the foregoing disclosure, it will be apparent that there has been developed a swivel butt coupler and end sill or pilot beam connection in which the movement of the coupler in both directions is adequately cushioned, while at the same time the desired swiveling is not interfered with.

Although there are shown preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having now described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In combination with a metal end sill formed with a pocket, a casting connected thereto, completing said pocket, and providing front stop shoulders at a restriction to the pocket opening, a swivel butt coupler stem extending into said pocket, a wedge block pivotally associated therewith and normally engaging said stop shoulders to limit outward movement thereof, blocks mounted on said sill adjacent the mouth of the pocket and vertically spaced by portionsthereof to receive the coupler stem therebetween, friction blocks normally engaging said wedge block, and springs disposed in said pocket on either side of said associated blocks for urging them inwardly to engage said wedge block.

2. In combination with a metal locomotive pilot beam formed with apocket, a deck casting disposed rearwardly" thereof and formed with a chambered portion completing said pocket, the

entrance to said pocket through the pilot beam being restricted to provide front stop shoulders and formed bell mouthed, outwardly of said shoulders, a coupler with a stem extending into the bell mouthed opening, a wedge block pivotally associated with said stem and received in said pocket, whereby angling of said coupler is permitted, portions of said wedge block normally engaging said shoulders to limit outward movement thereof, blocks mounted in said bell mouthed opening adjacent the foremost end and vertically spaced by portions thereof to receive and guide the stem of said coupler therebetween, cushioning mechanism in said pocket, and means operatively connecting said cushioning mechanism and coupler.

3. In combination with a metal locomotive pilot beam having a pocket, a coupler stem extending into said pocket, a butt portion pivotally connected to said stem, said butt portion having friction surfaces, a pair of which converge rearwardly and an extension flaring from the lower portion of said butt portion and providing a pair of friction surfaces which diverge rearwardly, friction blocks with correspondingly inclined friction surfaces engaging the friction surfaces on the butt portion and provided with extensions from the upper portions thereof on which the rearwardly converging friction surfaces are continued and which overlap the extension flaring from the butt portion, and plate springs disposed between said friction blocks and side walls of said pocket for urging said friction blocks into engagement with said butt portion.

4. In combination with a cast metal locomotive pilot beam having a pocket, a railway car coupler having a stem extending into said pocket, the rear portion of said stem having a pair of spaced horizontal flanges apertured for receiving a pivot pin, a swivel block formed with forwardly extending flanges intercalated with the flanges on the stem and receiving said flanges therebetween, a pivot pin extending through the flanges on the swivel block and stem for pivotally connecting the parts, said swivel block having upper and lower pairs of friction surfaces, one pair of which converges rearwardly and the other pair of which diverges rearwardly, said other pair being formed on an extension flaring from the corresponding portion of said block and continued rearwardly beyond the point of intersection of the first mentioned pair, a pair of friction blocks disposed one on either side of said swivel block and formed with correspondingly inclined friction surfaces engaging the friction surfaces on said swivel block and provided with extensions overlappingly associated with the swivel block extension and on which the rearwardly converging friction surfaces are continued, and resilient means disposed between said frictionblocks andthe opposite walls of said pocket for urging said friction blocks into engagement with the friction surfaces on the swivel block and cushioning the movement of said swivel block forwardly and rearwardly, the rear wall of said pocket limiting rearward movement of said swivel block and the forward portion of said pocket having members connected thereto and providing stopsfor limiting forward movement of said swivel block.

5. In combination with a locomotive pilot beam having a longitudinally opening pocket, a swivel butt coupler stem disposed in said pocket, a wedge block pivotally associated with said stem and formed with shoulders on either side thereof, the walls of said pocket being formed with inwardly extending shouldered portions adapted to cooperate with the shoulders on the wedge block for limiting outward movement thereof, blocks mounted on said beam adjacent the mouth of the pocket and vertically spaced by portions thereof to receive the coupler stem therebetween for guiding purposes, friction blocks associated with said wedge block, and resilient means urging said friction blocks into engagement with said wedge block.

6. In combination, a locomotive pilot beam with an opening in its front face, a coupler with a stem disposed in said opening, a wedge block associated for longitudinal movement with said stem, blocks mounted on said beam adjacent the mouth of said opening and vertically spaced by extensions thereof to receive the stem of the coupler therebetween for guiding purposes, friction blocks associated with said wedge block, and resilient means urging said friction blocks into engagement with said wedge block.

7. In combination with a locomotive pilot beam having a pocket, a coupler with a stem received in said pocket, a friction member connected to said stem and having friction surfaces, a pair of which converge rearwardly, an extension flaring from a portion of said member, on one side of the horizontal median plane, and providing a pair of friction surfaces which diverge rearwardly, friction blocks with correspondingly inclined friction surfaces engaging the friction surfaces on the member and provided with extensions from the portions thereof, on the other side of the horizontal median plane, on which the rearwardly converging friction surfaces are continued and which overlapthe extension flaring from the friction member, and resilient means disposed between said friction blocks and said walls of said pocket, for urging said blocks into engagement with said member.

BENJAMIN F. DAVIS, Trustee of the Estate of Donald C. Davis, De-

ceased. 

